Our (draft) response to Winona County's new wind and solar ordinance

Dear Concerned Citizen,

I have spent over a week of my own and my employees' time to review the sections of the proposed ordinance pertaining to renewable energy. I have found numerous problems. These problems cause solar electric and wind systems to NOT BE ALLOWED in Winona County.

Most of the problems with the ordinance are highly technical in nature. It is apparent to me that whoever wrote the ordinance has very minimal technical knowledge of what they are regulating. To meet certain provisions of the ordinance, you are required to violate other provisions of the ordinance and even state law. In numerous instances the ordinance attempts to extend the county authority into matters that are obviously state and local. Throughout the ordinance there are spelling and grammatical errors that indicate the writer did not even proofread their work.

Passing this ordinance will be a disaster for renewable energy and sustainability in Winona County. We will become the laughing stock of the nation. Businesses will write off Winona County and take their projects, money, and jobs elsewhere. Winona's budding new solar businesses, Winona Renewable Energy, LLC and Winona Solar LLC, will have to work elsewhere. Even though I am a lifelong resident of Winona County, I will have to seriously consider moving my renewable energy business and employees out of the county.

I have been accused by one of the commissioners of exaggerating this matter. I am not. Please read my draft comments on Winona County's proposed ordinance renewable energy section. You can view an un-annoted version of the ordinance at: http://www.co.winona.mn.us/school1000179/images/files/chapter_12_-_alternative_energy.pdf. The complete ordinance, all 300+ pages of it, is available at: http://www.co.winona.mn.us/school1000179/genie23/images/files/winona_county_zoning_ordinance_4.pdf.

Please attend the County Board meeting Tuesday night and ask the board to not pass the ordinance until they have it right.

Thank you,

-James Jefferson Jarvis
Owner
APRS World, LLC